Learn a little more...with a link!
Website: The Bearded Lady Project | See some of the film & photos about women in science careers.
Website & Video: DiscoverE, Introduce a Girl to Engineering | Learn about an awesome career in engineering.
Website Articles: Science Buddies, Careers | Find out the facts about lots of STEM careers.
Read the script:
DR. CURRANO: THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT REACTIONS. THE ONE THAT HAS BEEN OBSERVED HERE AT THE MUSEUM IS QUITE OFTEN PEOPLE WALKING PAST AND IT TAKES THEM A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO REGISTER THAT THESE ARE ACTUALLY WOMEN WITH BEARDS ON. WE HOPE THEY STOP AND ASK, "WELL, WHY DO THEY HAVE BEARDS ON?" EVERYONE IN THESE PORTRAITS ARE FEMALE PALEONTOLOGISTS. MOST OF THE WORLD-RENOWNED AND REALLY WELL KNOWN PALEONTOLOGISTS ALL TEND TO BE MEN.
MARY: AND A LOT OF THESE MEN SEEM TO HAVE SOMETHING ELSE IN COMMON. BEARDS. THAT GOT PALEONTOLOGIST DR. ELLEN CURRANO AND SOME CREATIVE FRIENDS THINKING.
DR. CURRANO: THEY WERE JUST REALLY TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFICULTIES OF BEING A WOMAN IN A MALE-DOMINATED FIELD. AND ONE OF THEM, NOT QUITE SURE WHO, SAID, "WELL, IT WOULD BE A LOT EASIER "IF WE JUST GO TO WORK WITH A BEARD ON." AND THE PROJECT WAS BORN FROM THAT SORT OF OFFHAND COMMENT.
MARY: THE BEARDED LADY EXHIBIT, NOW UP AT THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, FEATURES ONE OF ITS OWN, PALEO-ECOLOGIST DR. DENISE SUE.
DR. CURRANO: IT IS A LITTLE WEIRD, ESPECIALLY WHEN I COME IN THIS DIRECTION, AND I SEE MYSELF RIGHT THERE. IT IS A LITTLE ODD, ESPECIALLY WITH THE BEARD ON. IT FELT FUNNY, I FELT REALLY, REALLY WEIRD.
MARY: THANKFULLY, EVEN WITHOUT THE REQUISITE FACIAL HAIR, DR. SUE AND THE FEMALE SCIENTISTS AT THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM STILL MANAGE TO MAKE MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTIONS TO SCIENCE. AND THEIR WORK IS BEING HIGHLIGHTED FOR A WOMEN IN SCIENCE SERIES OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
DR. CURRANO: THIS IS A RECONSTRUCTION OF THE FOSSIL OTTER CRANIUM THAT WE DISCOVERED IN CHINA. MOST RECENTLY, MY TEAM AND I DISCOVERED A VERY LARGE SIZE OTTER, ABOUT THE SIZE OF A MODERN WOLF. A LOT OF TIMES, THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF FEMALE SCIENTISTS ARE NOT GIVEN AS MUCH WEIGHT. THIS IS WHY WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REALLY CALL ATTENTION TO THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS.